Finals!
by Wishing You Knew
Summary: It's time for finals at Gakuen Alice and Mikan needs help! Will Natsume help and make love bloom? You'll only know if you R&R! MxN Forever! The big question is: Will Mikan pass? One-shot


**An new story from the author that brought you:**

**A Reason to Live**

**Hate and Love**

**A Healing Touch and**

**Love Forever, Never Let Go**

**now present you with "Finals!!!"**

**Disclaimer: Don't own, want to, we've got a problem!**

Finals!!!

Finals. That one single word can send shivers down a high-school student's back. It tortures them until they can hardly breathe. They'll study as hard as they can, storing as much information into their brains as they possibly can. It was their one chance to either make or break their final grade.

For some, the finals were a piece of cake. They always sailed right through them without breaking a sweat. These were people like Hotaru Imai, Natsume Hyuuga, Yuu Tobita, Ruka Nogi, Sumire Shouda, and many others at the exclusive private school, Alice Academy.

But for others (i.e. Mikan Sakura, Koko Yome, and Mochu), finals were a deathtrap. They always failed, often bursting into tears whenever they thought of their upcoming doom. But since Alice Academy was for the geniuses of society, there weren't many like those poor unfortunate souls.

But those who had no chance were often very desperate, and asked those so far above them in intelligence for help. Most of the time, the whiz kid would refuse and the idiot would be back at square one. But some weren't to be deterred! Well, actually, only one person was so stupid as to keep bugging their cold, unemotional classmates.

Mikan Sakura.

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"Ne, ne Natsume!!!" A childish little voice repeated, voice filled with anxiety. The girl clasped her hands in front of her and got down on her knees before her classmate. The boy glanced down at her with no emotion in his crimson eyes. He stared at her for a minute then turned back to his manga, idly turning a page.

The girl puffed out her cheeks and brandished her fists. Aiming for the element of surprise, she lunged at the boy and punched at his head. But Natsume was trained in many forms of martial arts, and simply cocked his head to the side, avoiding the punch. The girl continued her useless attempt until something hot shot at the back of her head. She fell forward in shock and twirled around to stare at her 'best friend'.

Hotaru Imai. Genius, triple-star, straight A++ student, inventor, cold-blooded, and best friend to Mikan Sakura. Well, that's what Mikan called them. Hotaru rarely mentioned the girl; she rarely mentioned _anything_, because she didn't talk a lot in the first place, only advertising her gadgets. Like the one she had just shot Mikan with: Freak Flamethrower.

**A Note from Hotaru Imai-----**

**The Freak Flamethrower™ is a device for shutting up the freaks in your life. No long-term damage is done, as the flame is only a hologram. A freak may experience the feel of fire without the burn! But because they're freaks, they don't know that…**

**Don't use on freaks that seem mentally unstable, chocolate-lovers, or are zebras, pumpkin pies, or chairs.**

**This item is patented by the Great Hotaru Imai. Available in any ****Imai Inventions**** store near you!**

Back to our story! ---

"OW!!! Hotaru-chan, why the heck did you do that???Mou! That really hurt!"

"Stop complaining." Hotaru ordered stoically, "Wha-"

She was interrupted by Sumire 'Permy' Shouda, president of the Natsume/Ruka Fan Club. "Why are you harassing Natsume-sama, Sakura-san? Well? Tell me!"

Mikan cried a waterfall and wrung her hands. "I-I just wanted his… his…"

"His?? His what? Money? Happiness? LOVE???" Wakako, vice-president of the Natsume/Ruka Fan Club, demanded. All the girls in the classroom gasped at glared at Mikan, angry that she was such a skunk bag, to go behind their backs like this to get their crush!

"Um… I just wanted to ask him to help me study…" Mikan rubbed the back of her head with her elbow and smiled uncertainly. She was afraid they would find that offensive too! The angry mob considered and decided to let it go, but swore to watch her VERY carefully. She had better not make a move on their Natsume-sama! She gulped at ran to Natsume, hiding behind him carefully.

He glanced down at her again. He wanted to throw her to the wolves—er, _fan girls_--, but he couldn't once he saw her. He saw her eyes clenched tight, and she clung to his arm. He didn't know if she was exaggerating or not, but he doubted it. She wasn't that good of an actress and he had to admit, those girls could be very vicious!

He pursed his lips in thought. He smirked when the idea hit him.

Without making Mikan let go, so she was attached to his arm, he stood and walked out the classroom door. The fan girls' eyes widened, and their mouths, left hanging open, dropped to the floor. Yuu swept them up with a winning smile. Nonoko and Anna made the girls sit down and sip some tea, listening politely as they discussed the weather and what celebrities were wearing what designers.

Hotaru smiled slightly and wondered what Mikan and Natsume were up to, and whether or not it would make big bucks. She hoped not since she couldn't slip away not to follow them. And even if she had, they were long gone now and there was no chance that she'd be able to find them. If she had only remembered the chip she'd had installed in Mikan's head and that everyone here was much too afraid of her to mind if she left, she would've found them in the school's library.

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Natsume dragged Mikan down the sidewalks to the library, hoping she would wake up on the way. The girl was still just mindlessly embracing his arm in her own, so he figured she had fallen asleep like that. He sighed in relief as he stood in front of the library's big oak doors. He pushed them open and headed for one of the little tables that were placed everywhere so the students could read or do homework in comfort.

He pried her arms loose and tossed her onto the red velvet chair across from his. As she bounced on the cushy surface, her eyes popped open and she looked around in wonder. "Where amI?" She asked herself, "What is this awesome place?"

"It's called a _library_, youjo." Natsume answered in a leisurely tone. Mikan jumped and shouted.

"Whoa! Natsume! When'd you get here??"

He rolled his eyes and said nothing. He knew that would infuriate her to no end. And he was right! Mikan was steaming and smoke was billowing out of her ears. She began to growl (which really freaked Natsume out! What was she, a dog?) and braced her hands against the table's hard wooden surface.

It was a flawless, beautiful cherry wood table that must have cost a lot. Mikan was kinda nervous about being this mad. She feared she might snap it in have and then have to pay for it. Even though she now had three stars, Mikan was still a girl who thought about cost. And that library table sure looked expensive!

She was torn between her wanting revenge from Natsume to her fear of breaking this pretty table. _'Plus_,' she thought, absently rubbing her hand on the smooth surface, _'It's __**cherry wood**__! Just like me and Natsume's Sakura tree… __**our tree**__…'_

While she had been lost in her thoughts, Natsume had been gathering certain items. In his mind, this was a cease fire! A momentary chance to get as many supplies, weapons, and ideas as you could before your enemy started shooting again.

Mikan was off in her own little world when the room started shaking. She thought she recognized the signs and so started yelling, "EARTHQUAKE!! EVERYONE, REMAIN CALM AND GET UNDER A TABLE!!!!" She kept it up until the time she started to dive under the table and saw the large stack of textbooks Natsume had dropped in front if her.

Natsume started laughing and laughing as Mikan looked at him and sweatdropped. She had rarely even seen him _smile_, let alone laugh! But there he was, laughing himself into a coma. "Um…Natsume? Are you alright?" She asked tentatively.

He wiped the tears of laughter out of his eyes and off his cheeks saying, "Yeah. Yeah, Polka, I'm good."

Mikan flushed, he was still grinning and looked really cute doing it! It embarrassed her to be thinking of things like that and because she sometimes thought that he could read her mind, like Koko-kun, she blushed even harder, twisting her hands in front of her.

"Hey baka." She looked up, "You okay? You look like you have a fever." He didn't sound concerned, but Mikan was touched all the same.

"Um… no. I'm- I'm fine, Natsume-kun! Thanks for your concern!" She bowed and Natsume raised his brow.

"It's not that big of a deal." He said, "But anyway, sit down. Am I going to help you study or what?" Mikan's eyes shimmered with happiness and she beamed as she sat down daintily.

As she and Natsume poured over the books, Mikan felt warmth in her heart. One that she just couldn't explain to herself. Now they had moved to a couch and were sitting side-by-side, the better to communicate. They occasionally bumped shoulders, but neither seemed to mind. On they went, studying for hours. They looked at everything, making sure she had it committed to memory.

Natsume looked over at his study buddy while she worked over a particularly difficult math problem. He could see the information he'd taught streaming through her eyes as she applied it to the work. He smiled a gentle smile full of happiness and something he didn't understand. What was it, he wondered almost constantly. _'What is this feeling? It's so warm and feels so good. I've never felt anything like it before. What is this girl?' _

He thought of himself as a genius and everyone told him that he was, so why couldn't he solve the problem in his body? He could control his brain but not his emotions. And those were what were going wild inside his calm exterior. He could hardly believe he could act this normal! He didn't know how he did it, but he was glad. Who knew what would happen if he showed how he felt.

No, he learned long ago not to show his emotions! Not after Kagura! She broke his heart because she was sick of his smiles. She was an awful person, everyone told him, and he shouldn't think of anything she said as real. But no matter what everyone said, it hurt. And nothing any one them could say would do anything for him.

But then _she_ came, as the world got its color back. It was as if he was finally seeing the world. Though he still didn't know what he felt for this cheerful girl, he knew he owed her his very life. Because if she hadn't showed up… he probably wouldn't have been able to keep living. Missions and Kagura, the pain, it was all too much. But she was like a ray of sunshine in a dark, cloudy sky.

He stared at her, trying to get his thoughts back into line. He was so into it that he didn't notice that Mikan had finished the problem and was trying to show it to him, a proud look on her face. But now she was confused. She snapped her fingers in front of his face and waited.

He jumped up and looked to her for an explanation. "I finished to problem, Natsume! Look, did I do it right?"

Natsume looked it over and answered with shock in his voice, "Actually, you… you _did_."

Mikan scowled, "You don't need to sound so surprised! Mou!" She sat pouting until Natsume rapped his knuckles lightly on her head. She rubbed her sore head and yawned. And because of the magical magic of yawns, Natsume started yawning too.

He looked at the clock on the wall and said, "No wonder you're tired. We've been here for 8 hours. Go on to bed, little girl." But when he turned to look at his study buddy, he saw that she had fallen asleep on the couch. He smiled again.

Natsume picked up all their materials and placed them neatly inside their backpacks. Next he swung these over his shoulders and picked Mikan up bridal style. He noticed that she fit quite nicely into his arms.

As he started walking to their rooms, he breathed in the strawberry-scented perfume of her body. He shifted her so her head leaned over his shoulder. He entered her room, reluctant to put her down. Natsume placed her gently on her orange bed. He headed for the door and reached for the light switch. But before he pressed it, he strode back over to the bed and quickly placed a soft, gentle kiss on her forehead.

Mikan shifted in her sleep after he had turned of the lights. A small smile graced her lips.

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The day of the Finals came and went. And all anyone could talk about was how they did. Anyone except Natsume, who was way to busy with his personal life. Then the day arrived. The day of the results was here.

One by one, every student was called into a small room in which sat all the teachers. There were no windows and the air-conditioner was on high. Natsume found that he had gotten 100% on everything. Lucky duckling.

Everybody in his class was now waiting for Mikan. The girl who wanted in the most. The girl who had given it her all. The door opened slowly and the girl stepped out without the usual spring in her step. The crowd that waited outside slumped in disappointment. Then she beamed and everyone cheered.

And there was Natsume, she saw. The one who made it all possible. If he hadn't helped her, there was no way she could've passed. She smiled at him and to her surprise, he smiled back. And it grew and grew. Soon he was all out grinning. She blushed at his good-lucks, which he found completely adorable.

'_I know now,'_ they both thought, walking through the crowds toward each other. _'How I feel. What this feeling in my heart really is.' _5 feet kept them apart. They ran the last few steps.

'_I love you. I love you! I LOVE YOU!' _They ran into each other's arms. Mikan looked up at him, Natsume looked down at her, they both smiled. Then reached those last few inches and Natsume captured her lips in his.

A sigh ran through the crowd, who were deeply moved by the couple's feelings for each other. Hotaru didn't even take pictures, she was so surprised.

They broke apart and Mikan leaned her head against his chest. "I love you Natsume Hyuuga!" She shouted.

"Baka!" Natsume bonked her forehead with his and stared into her eyes, "I've been waiting since we were 10 to hear you say that. 5 whole years! Why'd you make me wait so long?"

She flushed and stared at her love, "Does that mean--"

"Mikan." She gasped. "I love you Mikan Sakura. And I always have!"

**END!!!!**

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**Wishing-Chan's Chat Corner:**

**me: In honor of the stinky finals I have to study for!**

**Mikan: You really should be studying, Wishing-chan!**

**me: I know! But I really wanted to write this!**

**Natsume: Idiotic rookie.**

**Mikan: Natsume! Don't be mean!**

**Natsume: Hn.**

**me: Okie dokie! I hope you liked it! **

**Mikan: Review to give Wishing-chan the strength she needs to study and pass her finals! **

**Natsume: If the moron fails it, she'll have to repeat Geometry.**

**me: Ugh, I HATE Geometry!**

**Mikan: Me too!**

**Natsume: If you just paid attention in class...**

**me: You sound like my friend! Quit it!**

**Natsume: Shut up, moron.**

**me: Mikan-chan!!**

**Mikan: Stop it Natsume! Anyway guys, review please!**

**me: Review and you can have pie!! 3 3 Pie is yummy! I like pie!**

**Natsume: We get it.**

**Mikan: Say bye everyone!**

**Everyone: BYE!!!**

**Mikan,Natsume, and me: bye everyone! and review!**

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